Build a Lightsaber

Step 6 The Hilt Body

This makes up the bulk of your hilt. Not only is this the place where you can add a lot of personal style but this is also where most of the internal parts reside. How roomy or cramped this area is really depends on  how long the main body is and if you use machined aluminum parts or a chrome sink tube.

The main body can be a single aluminum tube chosen from here (mhs main body):
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Main-Bodies-C33.aspx  
These are 7 inches long and just under 1.5" in diameter. They are machined and have female threads on the ends to allow the attachment of other MHS parts like the blade holder, pommel, and extensions. They also fit perfectly inside a chrome sink pipe. There is a predrilled hole for a switch. This provides the second most roomy internal space for electronics.

Or combination of the above and parts from here (mhs extensions):
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Extensions-C59.aspx  
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Chokes-C58.aspx  
Extensions could be plain, milled, slotted, ribbed or taper to a narrower outer diameter (choke). They add length and design elements to your hilt. It could provide you with the extra space for more batteries or give your hilt a completely different look and feel. If you really wanted to, you can build the entire hilt body out of several extensions. Internal space however is very limited on these parts. Some extensions barely have enough space inside to pass wires through. Something to keep in mind. Like the Main body, these are perfectly sized to slip inside a chrome sink pipe.

Or combination of a Chrome Sink Tube and this piece (mhs sink tube adapter):
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/MHS-to-15-sink-tube-adapter--P162.aspx  
The sink tube can serve two purposes. It can server as the main body tube Or it can serve as a sleeve/overlay that slips over your MHS parts. Using a sink pipe as the main body tube provides the greatest amount of space inside since the pipe diameter is 1.5" and the walls are much thinner than the machined aluminum MHS main body or MHS extensions. Using this method, you will have a main body tube that is smooth chrome that you can add design elements to like screws, jewels, leather strips, grips, cut holes and slots into. Just use your imagination.

OR The sink pipe can serve as an overlay - a sleeve - over the aluminum body tube and extensions purchased from TCSS. You can build your hilt using the MHS main body and extensions above and then cut and shape your chrome sink tube to slip over hilt to add additional depth and design. The contrast between aluminum and polished chrome is also quite amazing.

An endless combination of cuts, slots, extensions and main body combinations are available to you when all three components above are used. All you need is a dremel, some files, a drill and some screws.

OR you can shape your sink tube to serve as BOTH a main body and an overlay. To do this, take your 12" sink tube and select a portion that will be cut and shaped into a design and leave the rest intact. This is the method used for the example lightsaber in the video. For the hilt I used for this instructable, I used a combination of 1 extension, 2 sink tube adapters and 1 sink tube I cut into a design I wanted. The sink pipe acts partially as a body tube and partly as an overlay.

So the next step is to show you how to cut the sink tube into your own personal design.

Comments

[StArwArsN3rd]

Is there any way to make the hilt from scratch from buying the parts from a hardware store or is that the point of the last "Or" section in this step? i like to no so i dont go buy expensive parts that i could possibly find for cheaper else were.

[memoriable]

For All The People That Dont Have The Equipment Or Know-How To Fashion A Fancy Hilt. You May Be Interested To Know Of The Premade Hilts Made By Ultrasabers Which Are Stylish, Easily Assembled, And Can Also Be Added On To For More Originality. 

     -Custom Lightsabers

[MrTinkerer]

Yes, you can just buy a chrome sink tube and an assortment of PVC couplers, joints and pipes. We some creative engineering you can shape the PVC to hold the blade securely on the chrome sink tube.